


Traditions

by CrimsonFoxx443



Category: Naruto
Genre: Courting Rituals, Courtship, Idiots in Love, M/M, Requited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-04
Updated: 2020-02-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:20:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22561648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrimsonFoxx443/pseuds/CrimsonFoxx443
Summary: Madara was not supposed to be at work that week, especially not looking like that.
Relationships: Senju Tobirama/Uchiha Madara
Comments: 4
Kudos: 236





	Traditions

"Madara? What are you doing here today? I thought you weren't coming in for the rest of the week." Tobirama asked when he walked into their shared office. Madara was facing away from him, digging through a file cabinet.

Madara huffed. "I wouldn't be here if your idiot brother hadn't sent a courier to ask for my help with some last minute paperwork. Honestly, these sould have been sent out to the Inuzuka yesterday, and he's just now doing them." He turned around and threw the papers he just dug out onto his desk.

Tobirama inaudibly gasped as soon as Madara. "You're dressed quite different today. It suits you."

Madara blushed slightly. He had on a dark purple kimono with a barely there black and red houou pattern with the sleeves extending down to his wrists. His obi was mainly black with only a purple, lighter than his kimono, border while his juban and tabi were both solid black. Even his hair was different the his usual wild and down style. He had it up in a high ponytail tied by a black ribbon. A feather hair ornament was tucked behind his right ear. "Thank you." He mumbled out.

Tobirama smiled. "I cant imagine this is how you usually dress on your days off. Is it for a special occasion?"

Madara sighed. "You have to help me with this if your going to want to talk." He gestured to the papers on his desk.

The Senju pulled his own chair and brush set over to do just that. "Well?"

"It's a special week for the Uchiha." Madara said as he wrote. "I don't participate outside of dressing up, but it's a tradition in our clan for the men to use this week to dress up and dance to try and impress the person they want to be with."

"Dance?" Tobirama said, confused.

Madara hummed affirmatively. "They have all week to try and convince the person they want to come watch them on the last day. Then they dance for as long and as well as they can. If their intended is impressed or likes them back, they'll initiate courtship."

"I see. And you don't participate because. . ."

"There's no one in my clan i'm interested in." He quickly finished writing. "After you half is finished, would you mind giving these to Hashirama?" At Tobirama's dumbfounded nod, Madara flashed a quick smile and jumped out the open window.

-

"Hey, Tobira! Have you seen Madara? I asked him to help me out, but i haven't seen him at all today." Hashirama frowned deeply.

"He just left. He asked me to bring these to you. Really, aniue, you need to do your own paper work, or at least tell me before you should have sent it out." He slammed the papers onto his brother's desk.

"You're being mean today, tobira. What has you in such a bad mood?"

"Madara." He huffed out.

"Honestly, i thought you two were over this. You've even been being nice to each other lately." The Hokage pouted.

Tobirama didn't answer.

"At least tell me why you're mad." Hashirama pleaded.

"I'm not mad." He couldn't keep the red off his face, but he tried to keep hi head turned so Hashirama couldn't see it.

Luck wasn't on his side, it seems. "Are you blushing?" Hashirama said in a horrified voice.

Tobirama's blush deepened and he practically threw himself out the window to get away.

-

"That's a bold outfit choice, Aniki." Izuna said when he saw Madara. "

"So what? It's not as if he understood the outfit anyway." Madara huffed.

"He's already seen you? Did he say anything?"

"He said it suits me and asked about our tradition."

"Oh? That's a good sign!"

Madara brushed off the comment and left.

-

"Hey, Tobirama!" Izuna called out. He'd found the Senju at a small tea shop a little ways away from the Hokage tower. "Aniki told you you were asking about our traditions. Im sure he just gave you a brief explanation, and knowing how curious you are, i decided to come find you out of the goodness in my heart and answer any questions you have." He smiled brightly as he sat across from the other man.

"We both know that's not true. Tell me why you're really here."

"Let's skip over ulterior motives for now. You'll get it after you ask the right question."

"Fine. I suppose i have a few questions. Tell me the significance of the dance."

"It's about showing our physical prowess off, something about being a good provider. Not to mention, everyone works really hard on their dances and they all look amazing. Next question!"

"What do you do if you don't have an intended? Can you still dance?"

"Yeah, of course. I dance every year without anyone in mind. If you do this, it means that you are open for people to confess their feelings towards you, even if you may not reciprocate. That rarely happens to me because everyone knows i just do it for fun, but i know a few people who have had happy relationships from that. You gotta keep asking. You aren't even close to what i want you to ask."

"Why can't you just tell me, then?" Tobirama ground out.

"Because, Madara would be mad if i told you outright, but if i can say you asked, he'll have to get over it. Its also more fun this way!"

"Fine. Can you initiate courtship outside of this ceremony?"

"Yeah. Look, this is all really informal. It just sort of carried over from our past and everyone has fun with it. Its sort of stressful designing you outfits for the week, but wearing them is so worth it."

"Do your outfits have some sort of special meaning, then?" Tobirama asked.

"Yes! The colours and patterns all mean different things. Red means youthful glamour and allure" he gestured to his own primarily red outfit, "Blue is to promote good health, yellow is for-"

"What does Madara's mean? Purple with black accents and some sort of bird pattern." He leaned forward eagerly.

Izuna smirked. "The pattern is the Houou pattern or phoenix. It signifies peace. That part is foe the village. Black could mean various things. Water, north, winter, and wisdom. In Aniki's case, it means water and wisdom. The purple is the most important part. It means undying love."

"Undying love? I see. . ." Tobirama quickly finished off his tea before reaching into his pocket for money to pay his bill.

"Idiot Senju. You clearly don't see. Black means water and wisdom and purple means undying love. Together, it means that Madara has an undying love for someone represented by _water_ and _wisdom._ Doesn't that remind you of a certain water natured genius?"

Tobirama's cheeks flushed. " _Oh._ "

"Yes. Oh. Now, don't you have somewhere to be? He's in his house. Don't worry about being in the compound. Everyol one saw his kimono today and already know."

-

"Madara." Tobirama said as soon as he launched himself into the other's room via window. "You knew I wouldn't understand when you wore that. You could have saved us both a lot of trouble by being more straight forward."

"Izuna told you." Madara growled out.

"He did. You should thank him, really" Tobirama stalked closer to Madara u til he was right in front of him.

"For what?"

"If he wouldn't have interfered, i never would have known about your feelings, so i never would have done this." Tobirama closed the gap between them and pressed his lips to Madara's. Looks like he really would have to thank Izuna.

**Author's Note:**

> So, i realize the use of blushing may seem excessive in this. I usually try to use blushing only as a last resort when trying to portray embarrassment or nervousness, but not only is blushing excessive in anime, they are also highly skilled shinobi and fidgeting or fiddling with things should not be a habit they have.


End file.
